Gripes with the Zorki-6

[hoot]

Hi,

I recently got a Zorki-6 as a backup camera, but have had some truly horrible experiences with it. If you have experience with the Z6, I would appreciate if you let me know which of these gripes are "gotta live with" and which are "gotta get a repair ASAP".

1) The advance lever *brutally* rips apart the film when I try to advance beyond the final frame, making it necessary to carefully remove the film in a darkroom or changing bag. This isn't a case of my feeling resistance and nevertheless trying to advance the film at all costs... it's more a case of my using the camera for street photography and not keeping visual track of my frame count. Even the slightest pull on the advance lever utterly destroys the film, ripping through the sprocket holes and tearing a wide gash across the last, previously-exposed frame.

2) When setting the film counter to "0", the first pull on the advance lever advances the film count by two instead of one; however, if I set the film counter to 39 to compensate for that, I hear a slight "click!" and the advance lever ceases to function for a while, meaning I can pull on it several times without the shutter being cocked before it goes back to normal. Likewise, the film counter jumps about 10 frames anti-clockwise with each pull before it, too, goes back to normal.

Since the camera just arrived, I can probably send it back to the seller for a refund, but I'm kinda fond of this quirky Soviet bastard... are these things I can get Oleg to fix for me, and do you think I have a chance in getting the seller to at least partly finance the repair instead of refunding my money?

Thanks!

 

[Solinar]

With regards to Oleg, my Zorki 3M returned this summer with a new set of shutter curtains. The better news is the camera overall seem to function much more smoothly than when I sent it in. It was well worth the wait.

On your Zorki 6, you do have a wide base RF, which makes using the Jupiter 9 that much more precise. If I didn't have a FED 2 that I love, I'd be tempted to get a Zorki 6.

So far my Soviet camerdom holdings include a Zorki 3, a 3M and the FED 2, all blessings from the FSU.

 

[Mister_Hat]

I had a similar experience with my Kiev 4am. The film counter somehow missed a few counts mid-roll and I wound up tearing out the bottom row of sprocket holes when I reached the end of the roll. This particular Kiev has a rough, gritty feel to its film advance, so I didn't realize what had happened until after I had the film developed and saw the torn film and the multiple exposures on the final frame. My Fed 2 has a much smoother film advance.

 

[Nickfed]

1) The advance lever *brutally* rips apart the film when I try to advance beyond the final frame, making it necessary to carefully remove the film in a darkroom or changing bag. This isn't a case of my feeling resistance and nevertheless trying to advance the film at all costs... it's more a case of my using the camera for street photography and not keeping visual track of my frame count. Even the slightest pull on the advance lever utterly destroys the film, ripping through the sprocket holes and tearing a wide gash across the last, previously-exposed frame.

This seems totally unreasonable. The lever wind in the Z-6 isn't much different from any other. The movement is a bit greater and so the gear ratio is indeed greater, but only about 20%. The only problem with the wind is that it is stiff and uncomfortable. The former can be fixed and the latter alleviated by doing a simple CLA on the mechanism. This http://muj.proit.cz/roman/z6disass/ is really good and there was an additional post by me on this matter a couple of weeks ago. The root cause of the stiffness on mine was a washer under the idler gear. I have never ripped a film in the forty years I have had my Z-6.

2) When setting the film counter to "0", the first pull on the advance lever advances the film count by two instead of one; however, if I set the film counter to 39 to compensate for that, I hear a slight "click!" and the advance lever ceases to function for a while, meaning I can pull on it several times without the shutter being cocked before it goes back to normal. Likewise, the film counter jumps about 10 frames anti-clockwise with each pull before it, too, goes back to normal.

I don't know what this could be. The frame counter is simply a disk with a friction drive, a star shaped spring washer. If there is anything funny going on with that, it is probably all contained within the wind lever mechanism and will be obvious if you look. These things simply aren't that complicated.

The only way I can see the advance lever ceasing to function for a while is that you are pushing the rewind button by mistake. The click may be related to that too. I can't see how that can be related to the frame counter.

Th jumping 10 frames beats me. It can't be the gearset, after all, you can break film with it. I think it must be in the lever assembly.

Since the camera just arrived, I can probably send it back to the seller for a refund, but I'm kinda fond of this quirky Soviet bastard... are these things I can get Oleg to fix for me, and do you think I have a chance in getting the seller to at least partly finance the repair instead of refunding my money/

I think you may find it simpler to fix it yourself. Certainly quicker and cheaper. While I had to lift the lid, and should have done it the day after I got the camera, you may find all you have to do is dismantle the lever assembly. It has got me curious, so keep us posted.......

 

[kiev4a]

Don't quite understand how the Z6 can rip the end off the film unless you are putting an inordinate amount of pressure on the wind lever. The other problem may indeed be from pressing the rewind button

 

[DaveP]

I just repaired two Z6's , sounds like you need to take the top off and do a little cleaning and lubing. The frame counter probably has stiff goo in the works like mine did. Dont know about ripping the film at the end, never happened.Probably lube the wind mechanism and it will become much smoother and you wll be able to feel the resistance of the end much easier before its too late.. Also you can clean the prisms and eye piece and get incredible brightness and clarity..........

 

[pshinkaw]

h've experience ripping of film at the end of roll was when the film was slightly misaligned as it was loaded on the spool. If the film is slightly high or low across the gate, the spockets can catch the sprocket holes at the corners. Tgis will result in ripping.

Have you tried feeding a dummy roll of film through with the back off? Some of the older Soviet cameras don't fit very comfortably with modern film cassettes. They take a little axtra care in loading.

-Paul

 

[je2a3]

I'll second the suggestions in this thread to DIY and CLA the lever rewind using the link posted by Nickfed. It really isn't too hard and this might cure the film counter problem also. The ripped film could have been caused by the sitff lever wind which led to improper loading. I'd experienced ripped film on a Z5b and the lever wind CLA solved it. Send it to Oleg only if it looks too difficult for you. I enjoy using the Z6 as you can see from my avatar.

 

[hoot]

Thanks, guys. For now, the seller has agreed to take it back and refund my money, so I'd rather take advantage of that (safe) option. Maybe then I'll buy a couple of really cheap "as is" Zorkis and try fixing them up myself according to your helpful tips. It does sound like a fun way to spend an evening!